Surgical swab.



S. W. WILLIAMS.Y

SURGICAL SWAB.

APPLlcAmN FILED MAY 2B. 1911.

1,284,844. Patented July 31, 1917.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

SEWARD W. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAUER 6c BLACK, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SURGICAL SWAB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 191 *7.

Application led May 28, 1917. Serial No. 171,450.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SEWARD IV. VILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Swabs, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to surgical swabs adapted for transporting andapplying small quantities of cleansing, antiseptic or healing liquid andhas for its primary object the provision of means therein for preventingthe friable end of the liquid container from working through theenveloping fabric when the swab is in use.

Further objects of my invention are the provision of means insuringbreaking of the end in a manner to provide a large outlet for the liquidwhen needed and for protecting the end during shipment.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood by reference to the following speciication when readin` connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating the preferredembodiment thereof, in which- Figure l is a view in perspective of asurgical swab;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the swab, and

Fig. 3 is a detail in the cap.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates an elongated sealed container ofglass adapted to contain a quantity of liquid 6 of a cleansing,antiseptic or healing character. In sealing the container 5 I provide aconstricted end 7 thereon which, when broken, permits the liquid to flowfrom the container.

The container 5 is inclosed within a wrapping 8 of suitable textilematerial, such as gauze, which preferably completely envelops thecontainer. Bevond the constricted end 7 the wrapping 9 s tied, asindicated at 9, to provide a freebrush or applicator 10 into which theliquid flows when released from the container and with which it isapplied to the surface being treated. The entire wrapping with theexception ofthe portion adjacent the constricted end of the container,is preferably impregnated with paraHin or similar liquid-resistantmaterial which serves to seal the wrapping about the end 11 opposite theportion 10. A wrapperspective showing ping 12 of paper or other suitablematerial is disposed about the body of the swab and may bearinstructions as to the use of the swab aswell as the name of themanufacturer and suitable advertising matter, if desired.

In experimenting with surgical swabs of the character above described Ihave discovered a tendency of .the constricted end when broken to workthrough the enveloping fabric with a resulting the surface beingtreated. I have also discovered that the constricted end is sometimesbroken in such a way as to prevent the liquid from flowing readily fromthe container and that the constricted ends which are delicate aresometimes broken accidentally in transit. I have discovered that thesedisadvantages may be readily overcome by providing a cap or sleeve 13which snugly embraces the constricted end 7 within the fabric wrapping.The cap or sleeve is preferably made of elastic material such as rubberbut it is obvious that other materials may be employed. However, thebest results are obtained when soft elastic rubber is used. The cap orsleeve clings to the constricted end and when the latter is brokeneffectively prevents it from working through the enveloping fabric.l It,moreover, permits the constricted end to be grasped more readily by theuser so that the end may be broken at a point which insures an openinglarge enough to permit the liquid to flow readily from the container.Finally the cap or sleeve being yielding in character protects thefragile tip during shipment, thus preventing a considerable loss whichhas heretofore been unavoidable.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that' I have perfecteda surgical swab which presents numerous advantages over such devices asheretofore known and used and that various changes may be made in theform, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferredembodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A surgical swab comprising a container having a( constricted endadapted to be broken to release the contents of said container, al capembracing and engaging said possibility of in] uring constricted. end,and a fabric covering surroinding said cap and having a brush at its en2. A surgical swab comprising a container having a constricted endadapted to be broken to release the contents of said container, a cap ofresilient material embracing and engaging said constricted end, and afabric Wrapping surrounding said cap and 10 having a brush at its end. lf

3. A surgical swab comprising a container ping surrounding said cap andhaving a brush at its end.

SEWARD W. VVILLAMS.

Witnesses WM. O. BELT, M. A. KIDDIE.

